http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassa ... 7754.story
Wheelchair firm's decision troubles disabled LIers
BY PATRICK WHITTLE (patrick.whittle@newsday.com)
July 29, 2008
Linda Lemmerman waited five months -- her son Brandon's wheelchair held
together with ACE bandages and a bungee cord -- before she found out that
the company she had hired to fix his wheelchair was getting out of the
business.
Lemmerman, a Ridge resident whose 17-year-old son has cerebral palsy, is
among dozens of Long Islanders whose life has been disrupted by a Bethpage
firm's decision to stop assembling, selling and repairing custom
wheelchairs.
That company, Home Care Supply, is shutting down that part of its operation,
said a spokeswoman for the company's parent firm, Praxair.
That leaves disabled people and their families with the prospect of waiting
another several months to get new, customized wheelchairs ordered from other
companies. That process includes a series of meetings with doctors and
approvals from insurance companies.
Two legislators from Long Island have raised questions about whether the
state needs stricter rules on the time it takes insurers and companies to
provide the customized wheelchairs, which are the only way many handicapped
people can move independently.
"These are his legs," Lemmerman said of her son's dependence on his
wheelchair.
Home Care Supply, which was bought by Praxair in 2004, is getting out of
customized wheelchairs because of declining reimbursements from governments
even as the cost of building the chairs is rising, said Susan Szita-Gore,
the Praxair spokeswoman.
The company stopped taking orders for new chairs in April and will be out of
that business by Oct. 1, but will continue repairing wheelchairs that are
under warranty, she said.
Szita-Gore said Home Care Supply had contacted customers by phone to tell
them of the decision to stop selling and fixing chairs. The company is also
working with families to find other firms that sell customized wheelchairs,
she said. She said she could not provide the number of customers who are
affected.
But Lemmerman and several other parents of children at the Henry Viscardi
School for physically disabled students in Albertson, said they were never
notified.
Cathy Buckley, whose son Thomas, 15, also has cerebral palsy, said word
spread through the school of Home Care Supply's exit from the business. She
said the process of purchasing a custom wheelchair requires a specialist to
take measurements of the user; insurers to approve specifications for the
chair; and assembly of the chair.
A custom-built chair can cost more than $20,000, Buckley said, adding that
many families rely on insurance to pay for them.
"We lost months," she said, and we had to start all over again and find a
new vendor."
The news sent many in search of other vendors. Gloria Walters, 57, of
Flushing, who has used a wheelchair since she was a child, said she doesn't
know where to turn for repairs to her 13-year-old chair.
"I don't know who I can use because they are closing down," she said.
The bureaucratic process of getting a customized wheelchair approved by an
insurance company is in part responsible for the predicament, said state
Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington). That can take as long as nine
months, he said, and Home Care Supply's decision came as many people were
waiting for that approval.
Johnson and Assemb. Tom Alfano (R-North Valley Stream) said they are
considering proposing legislation that could decrease the lag time. One such
measure would give insurers a set time, possibly 30 or 60 days, to approve a
customized chair, said Scott Cushing, Alfano's chief of staff. Manufacturers
could also be given a time window for assembling a chair, he said.
"This is an absolute disgrace and justice must be done for Thomas [Buckley]
and all of the other students impacted by this situation," Alfano said in a
statement.
Szita-Gore, the Praxair spokeswoman, said the process of identifying
customers is continuing.
Patrice Kuntzler, superintendent of the Henry Viscardi School, said the
students cannot afford to wait much longer.
"You can imagine the impediment to independence that students would have,
not being able to have an appropriate wheelchair," she said. "This isn't a
luxury for them."
Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.
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( 2.8 / 36 )What does one say when the exterminator says, "I have never seen this type of bug before?" It appears that I have a new species of bug. I do not have carpenter bees as I suspected. These unidentified flying objects seem to burrow in the ground and fly about six to 8 inches above the ground and are shiny green with stripes.
The exterminator promptly stepped on a couple of them and put them in a Ziploc bag for examination later on at the office.
Exterminator number two arrives just moments after exterminator number one has left as in the package I bought it includes a termite inspection. I told him I do not have termites but do have unidentified flying object bugs in the backyard. After describing them before seeing them he stated that they sounded like cicada killers, a type of wasp. At any one time there are one to three dogs relieving themselves in the backyard and I do not want them to get stung.
Exterminator number two goes out to backyard to look at the unidentified flying objects and also says that he has never seen these before. "I have been doing this work for over 10 years…"
I put on my Nancy Drew hat and do a Google search. Exterminator number two is looking over my shoulder and excitedly says, "That’s it!" I have green June beetles. Now I believe in global warming as these are primarily Virginia and Maryland bugs. They have burrowed little holes all about my little backyard. Now I know why my grass doesn't grow.
We're going to be keeping the dogs out of the backyard for a little bit. I despise bugs.
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( 3.1 / 34 )National Forum on Disability Issues featuring the 2008 Presidential Candidates on Saturday, July 25 from 12:30 – 4:00 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio. (see info below). For those who can’t make it to Columbus, Disaboom will be hosting a live webcast of the event.
http://www.disaboom.com/AAPDSignUp.aspx
The forum, the premier disability event of this election cycle, will also be simulcast on the web by Disaboom.com to tens of thousands across the country, many of whom plan to hold viewing parties in their communities. The forum is also a celebration of the 18th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark civil rights legislation that has helped to transform the lives of the more than 50 million Americans who have disabilities
There is no charge to attend The National Forum on Disability Issues on July 26 and it is open to the public, but registration is required. To register, visit www.govoter.org. Questions about registration should be directed to Anne Sommers.
The forum will be held at the Conference & Technology Center, First Church of God, 3480 Refugee Rd., Columbus, Ohio.
For more information about the forum visit the AAPD website, www.aapd.com.
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( 2.8 / 33 )FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 7, 2008
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
CRT
(202) 514-2007
TDD (202) 514-1888
Bus Operator Will Provide Accessible Service for Individuals in Wheelchairs
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached
a settlement with New Century Travel, Inc. under the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) and has filed a complaint and a proposed consent
decree in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. The
proposed decree, which is subject to the approval of the Court, enforces
the ADA’s requirement that over-the-road discount bus service be
accessible for persons with disabilities. New Century provides low-cost,
fixed route service to major cities along the East Coast, including
Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City.
This is the first decree secured between the Department and a low cost,
fixed route carrier. Among other things, the decree provides that persons
who use wheelchairs can schedule rides on buses equipped with wheelchair
lifts with 48 hours advance notice to New Century.
"This settlement opens the roads to individuals with mobility disabilities
who now will be able to take advantage of low-cost travel opportunities
and to make arrangements for accessible transportation with less
difficulty," said Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General
for the Civil Rights Division. "It ensures that New Century welcomes
individuals with disabilities on an equal basis with all other riders."
The consent decree further provides that New Century will modify its web
site to enable persons with disabilities to reserve a seat on an
accessible over-the-road bus and to receive confirmation of their
arrangements in writing in a timely manner. It also requires New Century
to post notices on its web site, in stations and in pick-up locations
indicating that it is obligated to provide accessible transportation to
persons with disabilities, and to train relevant employees about the
requirements of the ADA and how they apply to New Century, including
policies, practices and procedures to be adopted as a result of this
consent decree. New Century also will pay $5,000 in civil penalties to the
United States and $1,000 in compensatory damages to persons who were
denied accessible transportation by the company.
The consent decree is the result of an investigation conducted by the
Department to ensure that over-the-road bus companies comply with the ADA
accessibility requirements and provide accessible transportation.
These actions were taken to enforce Section 304 of the ADA, and the
relevant regulations promulgated by the Department of Justice and the
Department of Transportation. Among other things, the regulations govern
the purchase or lease of new over-the- road buses and require accessible
service. In addition, until 100% of its over-the-road bus fleet is
accessible, a small operator of a fixed route system must ensure that any
individual with a disability who requests accessible service on an
over-the-road bus receives that service. More detailed information about
these requirements and the New Century consent decree can be found on the
Department of Justice Web site at http://www.ada.gov. People interested in
finding out more about the ADA or this consent decree can call the Justice
Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 or
1-800-514-0383 (TTY).
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( 2.9 / 31 )Dear Friend:
For more than one year, my colleagues and I at United Spinal Association have been working with bipartisan members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to reform proposed Medicare policies that will have disastrous consequences for paralyzed Americans and others who are reliant upon Medicare.
Last week, the House and the Senate both passed a new Medicare bill that would address our concerns on wheelchair purchasing, complex rehab wheelchairs, physician reimbursement rates and access to psychiatric services.
The bill, H.R. 6331, passed both the House and the Senate by a remarkable margin.
Now, the President has vowed to veto the bill altogether. Please help us stop this injustice by telling your Representative and Senators to override the President's veto.
Follow this link to tell your Senators and Representative that you support United Spinal Association's efforts on H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act.
Thank you for support in this effort to improve the quality of lives of all Americans with spinal cord injuries and disorders.
Sincerely,
Paul J. Tobin
President
United Spinal Association
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( 3.1 / 35 )
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